If you`re suffering from déjà vu, don`t worry—it`s just the highest category of racing at its finest, where the same group of horses run a round-robin tournament week after week, taking turns in the winner`s circle like it`s a friendly neighbourhood relay race. This Wednesday`s Rajpipla Trophy (1200m) for horses rated 80 and above, the feature event of Mumbai races, was yet another rerun of “Which Dallas Todywalla Horse Wins Today?”

With Market King having misplaced his winning form somewhere in the transition between stables, the focus was squarely on Irish Gold and It`s My Time—the two Todywalla inmates. The only other runner, Son Of A Gun, seemed to be on a self-imposed sabbatical, presumably waiting for that one special day when connections finally decide it`s payday.

Market King, perhaps momentarily possessed by the ghost of his past self, took over the running and even led well into the straight. But, as expected, he fizzled out when it mattered. Irish Gold surged ahead, only for It`s My Time to dramatically declare, “Yes, it is indeed MY time,” storming home under a forceful Trevor Patel ride to win after a 150-day losing streak and five nearly-there runs. Market King clung onto third, leaving Son Of A Gun with nothing to fire.

Trainer Malesh Narredu`s Dash decided to take the term ‘non-runner` quite literally in the Radha Sigtia Trophy (2000m) for horses rated 60-86. As the overwhelming favourite, he had everything going for him—recent form, class, and the punters` hard-earned cash backing him. Unfortunately, he also had a severe case of "I`m-not-leaving-this-gate-today" syndrome.

As Dash refused to budge, Multiverse took over, setting the pace while Expedite bided his time in second. It was all too easy for Expedite, who breezed past the leader in the final furlong and won with the sort of casual arrogance that must have made his trainer H J Antia smirk. Multiverse settled for second, and Exuma managed third. As for the rest? Their performances were best left in the realm of the forgettable.

If the betting trends were anything to go by, the Amazing Mauritius Cup (1600m) for horses rated 20-46 belonged to Mighty Sparrow long before the race even started. And, for once, the favourite actually lived up to expectations.

Sands of Dubai led the charge into the straight before hitting an invisible wall. That was Vivek G`s cue to get Mighty Sparrow going, and the favourite took over in the final furlong, never looking back. Treasure Gold made an effort to close in from the back but was about as threatening as a kitten charging at a lion. Sands of Dubai, despite running out of gas, still managed third.

Trainer H J Antia was on a roll, securing a second win on the day with Nelson River in the P A D`Avoine Trophy (1200m, 20-46). The gelding had shown signs of intent in his last outing, and this time, he put it all together for a comfortable win.

The more fancied duo of Mila and Walter didn`t exactly live up to their billing. Walter, for one, seemed to believe that merely turning up was good enough, showing up in name but not in performance. Nelson River, meanwhile, was positioned perfectly in the straight by Haridas Gore, and once he was set loose, it was game over. Walter managed second, while Daulat Mai ran on for third, leaving the rest wondering why they even bothered.

After a series of forgettable efforts, Lord And Master was finally backed to win in the Kransny Cup (1400m, 40-66)—which is to say, punters placed their hopes (and wallets) in the hands of Trevor Patel, trusting him to get the job done.

It wasn`t easy, though. Fortunate Son, a rank outsider, decided he wasn`t going down without a fight, pushing the favourite to the very edge. But Trevor is no stranger to a scrap, and after a prolonged duel, he ensured Lord And Master got the job done—albeit by the skin of his teeth. Golden Glow took third, while Eaton Square had a horror start and never really recovered. Art Collector, last start`s hero, ran so badly that one could only assume he got lost somewhere mid-race.

Faisal Abbas`s Betsy went into the Rajcoomar Gujadhur Memorial Trophy (1000m, lowest category) as an undeniable favourite, thanks to her previous close finish against the day`s earlier winner, Nelson River. Throw in a 5kg allowance jockey, and it was as close to a sure thing as you can get in racing.

And sure enough, Betsy made it look effortless. She hugged the rails, took control in the final furlong, and breezed past Lion King, who had no choice but to settle for second. Miss Magic took third, but let`s be honest—this race was all about Betsy delivering what was expected in the hands of apprentice jockey Bharath Singh.